BOUNTIFUL — The new year is upon us and we’ve all gone through that same ritual of setting a New Year’s resolution; and, in most cases, it will be a re-commitment of last year’s resolution gone bad.

We have become accustomed to the superstition that if you are beginning something new, it must start on the first day of a week, month or year, and so we use that as our excuse to wait. When that much anticipated FIRST day arrives, we often seem unprepared or content in postponing until the next FIRST. The cycle repeats until New Year’s Day is upon us again.

When looking at the top 10 New Year’s resolutions of all time, the No. 1 is focused on losing weight and getting in better shape. Though the exact research differs, the success rate of keeping a New Year’s resolution is less than 10 percent, which means that most of us are not losing weight or getting in better shape.

Whether that can be attributed to the FIRST theory or not is uncertain, but it never hurts to try a new way so I suggest we eliminate the plan to begin on the first and instead become a Goal Getter and begin TODAY.

The following are tips to help you get your fitness goals started TODAY:

1. Get up right now and spend the next 10 minutes walking

2. Determine what type of activity you like, can and will do

3. Write it down and post it where you can see it daily

4. Make sure the activity you choose will elevate your heart rate for a prolonged period of time

5. Make your schedule every night for the following day and schedule this activity in

7. After 30 days you should be ready to advance to a more challenging program

8. Track everything you do so you can see progress

9. Team with someone to hold each other accountable

10. If you get off track, start right back up rather than getting discouraged

When progressing to a more challenging program, it may be good to seek the advice of a health or fitness professional.

Remember that these simple tips are ways to get started and are not the basis for a long-term program. It is important to always determine your current health status and seek clearance from a doctor if a medical condition exists. For a free copy of a cardio program, email me at info@skillsfitness.com and ask for the beginning cardio program.

Gary Seljass is president and co-owner of Skills Fitness/Elite Athlete Zone. He holds a master’s of science in exercise science and is the creator of Serious Skills Group Fitness Programs.